I am a Christian, writing, and running mama. I write and I run to keep my sanity and to be a better wife and mama to my family. Join me in my discombobulated journey as I try make sense of the chaos and find the balance of being a stay at home mom (SAHM) with 4 kids!

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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Hey, Where's the Manual?

After a couple of weeks of diagnosing poison ivy and all of its crazy symptoms I feel like I should have gone to medical school. My little boy spent a week breaking out without any complaint and then BAM he was scratching, crying, and miserable :( Fortunately he is doing much better with a combination of cortisone cream, antihistamine, and prednisone. Unfortunately, it got so bad that he needed the prednisone, and now he's a hot mess emotionally, but we're going with the flow and trying to make things easier for him.

After being a parent for 4 1/2 years I feel like I should have gotten a degree not only in education, but in psychology, and in med school. I feel like no one is completely ready for child-rearing. I mean, many of us think we are, and many of us want children, therefore we have our families...but did we really know what we were getting into? I knew about the late nights, had an inkling to the anxiety, the benefits of routine and consistency, but no, I wasn't ready for this.

I wasn't ready for the complete fear that grips me when my children are sick and there is nothing that I can do except follow doctor's orders and whatever prescribed meds (if any). The sadness that fills me when they are hurt, sad, or upset. The incredible joy I feel when I hear, "I wa ewe, Mama," "You're the best, Mommy," "I love you, Mama," or when I see my children accomplish something new, like lines in the preschool Christmas play, scoring a goal in soccer, or learning a new dance step.

But there are days that I'm glad I have a degree in education and can help my kids learn how to read, count, and have a love for learning. There are other days that I wish I had pursued a degree in child psychology (like I had originally planned), and definitely medical school. I wonder if any of that would alleviate some of the anxiety that goes along with parenthood.

Parenting has been a roller coaster ride and a learning curve. Despite the weariness, the anxiety, the fear, it has been the best job I have ever had. I have to say that the joys definitely outweigh the bad stuff :) Just wish I had a manual...

The Discombobulated Mommy

Welcome! This is an at times a tongue-in-cheek perspective on a Christian mom's life. I'm a SAHM of three young children: elementary school, preschool and a two year old. I'm trying to find the balance between wife and mother, and at the same time figure out where I stand in the midst of all the chaos while keeping it real! My life is not always easy, and I share my celebrations and challenges so that you know that you are not alone on this journey called motherhood. I love my husband and I love my kids. I stay at home because I want to and I wouldn't have it any other way. But it's not always easy. How do I do it? I write and I run to keep my sanity, not necessarily in that order!